Gregory expects shake up

Alex Gregory is expecting Pete Reed and Andy Triggs-Hodge to come into the flagship men's four for the London Olympics.

The duo won gold with Tom James and Steve Williams in the four in Beijing but then switched to the pair only to come up against New Zealand's Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, who they have failed to beat.

Reed and Triggs-Hodge are considered Britain's best rowers and coach Jurgen Grobler is expected to move them back into the four to maximise the chances of a gold medal in London.

There is no doubt that would be tough on the current four of Gregory, James, Ric Egington and Matt Langridge who had a superb season in 2011 and were crowned world champions in Bled, Slovenia.

Gregory told a British Olympic Association conference call: "Last year we had a perfect year really, we won every race we did and it was a great crew. It was up there with my most enjoyable years of rowing. But we're all pretty realistic.

"It's the same every year, once the World Championships have finished the slate is wiped clean and you have to prove yourself again. It won't be a surprise if the crew is different. But my main priority is to put myself in the best position and hopefully prove to Jurgen I can be in the top boat. And at the moment it does look like the four is going to be the top boat."

The final selection weekend for the rowing team comes over the Olympic course at Eton Dorney on March 10 and 11 - Gregory's 28th birthday - with the crews being confirmed on April 4.

Gregory would love for the current four to be given the chance to go for Britain's fourth consecutive Olympic gold in the boat, but he accepts that is probably unlikely to happen.

He said: "I think we would all have liked to have carried on with the crew. I don't think in Bled we had the best race and we felt we could have got faster. But it's just the way rowing in Britain works.

"I'm sure Jurgen has much more of an idea about it but he doesn't tell us. The indication is probably that Andy and Pete will come into it but it's not selected."